Nonprofit Launches Social Media Campaign to Empower LGBT Community

Students Moving America has launched a social media campaign aimed at celebrating the act of “coming out” in the LGBT community. #ComingOutMatters is a social media movement where gay individuals are encouraged to share their coming out stories through Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. All these stories are then aggregated together on the #ComingOutMatters website created where users can browse a collage of narratives about revealing one’s sexual identity to family and friends.

To help the #ComingOutMatters campaign gain some stardom traction the organization has partnered with E!’s Rich Kids of Beverly Hills celebrity Jonny Drubel as their spokesperson. Drubel shared his own video on coming out, and all videos with the hashtag #ComingOutMatters will also appear on the new website created for the movement:

As Drubel explains, the idea is that as more youth and members of the LGBT community of all ages see others sharing such personal and moving stories, it will inspire more people to come out to their families and feel less alone. Online users are sharing their stories through a multitude of mediums from photos and graphics to videos, or simply a short tweet.—Aine Creedon

Aine Creedon is Digital Publishing Coordinator at Nonprofit Quarterly and has worn many hats at NPQ over the past five years. She has extensive experience in social media, communications and outreach in the nonprofit sector, and spent two years in Americorps programs serving with a handful of organizations across the nation. Aine is also a member of YNPN Denver's Marketing and Communications Committee.